Hey SawdustGirl Readers! It’s Timisha from ToolBoxDivas.com. I am still so stoked to be a part of the SG Squad. I am already learning so much, pushing myself to that next level. This month we were challenge to try a type of woodworking joinery that we’ve never used before. I chose to try out dowel joints. […]
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After tearing down the ceiling and clearing out all the insulation, we spent hours pulling up tack strips and nails and staples and washer headed tacks that they had used to nail down 5 layers of linoleum. We pulled up layer after layer after layer of nailed, stapled and tacked down linoleum. When we first […]
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Pressure washers are one of those household items that once you get one, you can’t believe how you ever managed without one. They truly come in handy for tasks throughout your home. They take up little space, are affordable, and when properly cared for will last for years.
We recently acquired a Briggs & Stratton 3100 MAX gas-powered pressure washer. The timing is perfect as we are in process of moving. Here’s how we used the Briggs & Stratton pressure washer this month and why it’s proven to be a vital tool in our DIY arsenal.
Unfortunately our previous home was located near a freeway and a fine layer of dirt always covered everything in our backyard. We’ve used a hose and sprayer to clean our walls, patio, and outdoor furniture, but it has never really gotten everything clean. Once we used our pressure washer on the walls and realized how much dirt was removed and how clean our walls had become, we were instantly sold on needing to use a pressure washer for this type of job.
Our new home is not near a freeway, but the home has been neglected and the exterior has probably never been washed . Once we took the pressure washer to the white exterior walls, we saw years of gunk get removed and our walls actually looked white!
We continued to use the pressure washer to clean the patio area and wash down all of our outdoor furniture. The Briggs & Stratton pressure washer is a much more effective cleaner than a regular hose sprayer, which never really get the job done right and wastes more water. At 2.5 gallons per minute, we know our Briggs and Stratton pressure washer is making the most effective use of water.
This unit comes with four different spray nozzle options, which provide a variety of water streams. We chose the yellow nozzle as it provided just enough power to really wash down our furniture, without damaging the fabrics. It also worked great on our patio umbrella and outdoor rug, and after cleaning unveiled their true color again.
One concern with a gas-powered pressure washer was the sound of the engine, but Briggs & Stratton addressed this by introducing Quiet Sense technology that makes the pressure washer idle 40% quieter when the spray gun trigger is released. This dramatically cuts down on the sound, which makes the unit even more enjoyable to use.
One of the first projects at our new house was adding an epoxy floor to our garage. The original garage floor was in decent shape, but was unprotected, so years of oil and dirt had built up and caused a mess. Everyone knows the first step before applying epoxy is to thoroughly clean the garage floor. A degreaser and brush is a good start, but to really remove the grime a pressure washer is needed.
We fired up the Briggs & Stratton and it easily removed years of dirt buildup. Hours with a brush and hose would still not have been effective as the pressure washer was for doing this job.
A clean garage floor provides the necessary base for the epoxy to adhere to, and we can now be confident our garage floor will stay protected for years to come.
I’ve got a Ford F150 and 1989 Toyota Land Cruiser that send plenty of time in the mud, dirt, and clay around Los Angeles and in Nevada. The key to keeping your truck clean is not letting that stuff cake on and dry—especially the clay. Giving my trucks a quick spray down with the pressure washer is the best way to remove all the dirt before a proper wash and wax.
There is nothing more effective than a pressure washer for cleaning the undercarriage and frame of the trucks. You can really get into all of the nooks and crannies in the wheel wells and other areas that a hose sprayer just doesn’t have the reach or power to clean.
The Briggs & Stratton makes it easy to wash vehicles or anything that can benefit from soap or detergent, as the 3100 has a convenient detergent tank that you just fill and it gets dispensed automatically through the washer.
Because we plan on spending so much time outside, our Briggs & Stratton pressure washer will get a ton of use. We’ve got an old shed on the back of the property that needs cleaning both inside and out, and a few Rubbermaid storage closets that have acquired a ton of dirt and cobwebs over the years. A few minutes with the pressure washer will clean up both nicely.
We have a ton of patio space around our pool and patio area, and keeping it clean will remain a top priority throughout the year. We’ve got lovely trees and brushes around our property, but they shed a variety of leaves, flowers, and fruits that mix to form a tough to remove film around the pool area. It’s much easier to “sweep” them away with a pressure washer than a broom.
If you’re on the fence about getting a pressure washer, don’t be! Buy one today and start enjoying a cleaner outdoor life now. We recommend the Briggs & Stratton 3100 MAX which is available on Amazon for $429.
This post is sponsored by Briggs & Stratton, but all opinions are 100% represented by Timothy Dahl of Charles & Hudson.
Our next demolition task at Calderwood Cottage was to tear down the ceiling. Julie had the great idea to punch it down from above rather than pull it down from below and have all that old insulation fall down on us. So Julie suited up, and went to work punching down all the ceiling drywall. […]
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Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Plaid®. All opinions are my own.
I know it’s super early for holiday decor (especially for me! You all know I’m usually a slacker.), but I’m getting a little bit of a head start since I’m teaming up with Plaid for a fun Facebook Live event. Today, each of the Plaid Creators will be live on the Plaid Facebook page sharing holiday decor tutorials throughout the day. I’ll be live at 4pm EST, but don’t worry, if you miss it you can always watch the replay! I’ll be sharing these mason jar lid ornaments. The best part is that you can purchase a kit with the supplies! (Details at the end of this post.)
You can purchase the kit of Mod Podge supplies listed above and also save 25% off craft supplies over $25 at Plaid Online with code ErinSpain by 12/31/17. Cannot be combined with any other offer.
Remove the disk part of the mason jar lid as that is the portion we will be using. Place your gift wrap on top of your mason jar lid and trace it, making sure to trace the inner portion of the lid, not the lip around the edge.
Cut out your circle using the scissors in the Mod Podge 7 piece tool kit.
Using the brush from the tool kit, apply Mod Podge to the surface of the lid and the back side of your gift wrap.
Press your gift wrap onto the lid, smoothing from the center outward using the squeegee from the tool kit to remove any bubbles. Set aside and allow to dry while you repeat these steps on your other lids.
After about 15-20 minutes, apply Mod Podge to the entire surface of your gift-wrap covered lid. Allow to dry.
After your ornament has dried, hammer a nail through a point along the top edge, creating a small hole.
Thread your string through the hole and tie a knot. Now you have your very own mason jar lid ornament!
These are super simple, and so easy to customize. You can use any patterned paper that you choose, whether it be gift wrap, scrapbook paper, or even sheet music. There are so many possibilities. You can also use any type of string or twine that you choose.
Be sure to head over to the Plaid Facebook page where I’ll be streaming live today, Friday, November 3, at 4pm EST showing you how to make these ornaments. You can watch the replay if you can’t make it for the livestream.
You can also connect with me here:
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Hey everyone! I’m Shara from the DIY/Woodworking/Furniture Building blog, Woodshop Diaries and I’m so excited to have the opportunity to join a VERY talented group of DIY bloggers in Sandra’s mentorship squad! This month, we were challenged to step out of our comfort zone and attempt some wood joint styles we had never done before […]
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Hey guys! Julie and I survived three weeks of back breaking demolition on Calderwood Cottage! The place has changed so much, I have to look at pictures to remember what it looked like when we began. We originally weren’t going to start flipping until January (after I finished more of my own unfinished projects). BUT we […]
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